East Jordan to see community-wide benefit from grant

Come spring there will likely be plenty of construction activity in downtown East Jordan, thanks in large part to a $640,000 grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

A new city parking lot, storm and sewer and water main extensions will serve a new 50-room hotel on a vacant lot next to BC Pizza on Mill Street.

The improvements won't only serve the Jordan Valley Resort and Spa. BC Pizza and Darlene's Restaurant will also benefit by the new lot and improvements.

But the whole city will benefit as the hotel will create the equivalent of 32 new full-time jobs.

The city will own the new lot and it will be available for public use. The new hotel will be responsible for the maintenance of the lot - everybody wins.

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City administrator David White said the project will also include the construction of a pole building that snowmobile riders can use to make repairs to their sleds. East Jordan serves as a trail head to a main snowmobile trail.

For anyone familiar with the snowmobile scene in the East Jordan area with its vast trail system, that building will be a boon to sledders.

The city's share of the project is about $140,000, which White said will eventually be recouped through additional taxes brought in by the development.

City officials who worked to get the grant and make downtown East Jordan a more vibrant place deserve their community's thanks.